Where do the fish sleep in a minimalist reef?

[mr.maroonsalty]

I've seen some minimalist tanks that have quite a few fish, and I wonder where their reef fish sleep. These are fish that spend their nights comfortably tucked safely away from the night marauders. Call this a rant, but some of the tanks I've seen pictures of hardly have enough spaces in the stack for a few small wrasses, let alone the several tangs they usually hold.

[Bello]

Honestly, it's difficult....that's the truth.

I first determine if there is a suitable space for a fish, before I consider buying it. Fewer hiding spaces also leads to greater aggression between the fish, for those few spaces. I'd hope that once the corals grow out, it'll be easier...but will have to wait for those observations.

Just my 2 cents :)

[syrinx]

they sleep on the sea bed.

[fishfreak2009]

Even in a tank with lots of rock, the fish dont always sleep in the rocks. I have a pair of mollies in my tank, and they always sleep in the top corner.

[mr.maroonsalty]

Well, I don't recall mollies being reef fish, but okay. Sleeping in the open on a reef makes you shark bait.

[mc-cro]

I started my last big tank set up as a very minimalist, and as I started adding fish quickly came to the same conclusion. The fish seemed to be more aggressive over their territories. So I added more rock and places for sleeping/hiding, and the community seemed a little bit more at ease. Most fish need a safe place to dart to when spooked....or napping.